Reduce the Risk.
Vaccinations have been shown to reduce our risk of getting serious illnesses.
We have all received vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus when we were children as these immunizations were needed to enter school. Now children can also get immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis B and HPV. There is a lot of evidence that shows that getting the yearly flu (influenza) shot not only lowers your chance of getting the flu, but it helps protect the loved ones around you too.
We advise people with CF to get the COVID-19 vaccine and annual influenza vaccinations.
People who will be receiving a lung transplant must get up to date vaccinations to protect against illness after transplant.
Vaccinations have been shown to reduce our risk of getting serious illnesses.
We have all received vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus when we were children as these immunizations were needed to enter school. Now children can also get immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis B and HPV. There is a lot of evidence that shows that getting the yearly flu (influenza) shot not only lowers your chance of getting the flu, but it helps protect the loved ones around you too.
We advise people with CF to get the COVID-19 vaccine and annual influenza vaccinations.
People who will be receiving a lung transplant must get up to date vaccinations to protect against illness after transplant.
COVID-19 Vaccine
We strongly recommend all CF patients receive the vaccine to protect themselves and others from infection. Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has been shown in large scale trials to protect you from getting sick, being hospitalized or dying after infection with this virus. People with CF are vulnerable because they have underlying lung disease as well as some of the risk factors associated with worse health outcomes such as diabetes. Studies have shown that people with CF who have received a transplant are at increased risk of being admitted to the hospital, requiring oxygen and even dying after infection with COVID-19.
Currently the most common variants of COVID-19 are offshoots or subvariant of Omicron (XBB1.5). The booster (3rd or 4th vaccine) you got in the fall will protect you against Omicron and that includes the new variants.
Remember, vaccines don’t prevent you from getting COVID-19 but they prevent you from getting very sick.
There are no new vaccines yet since the fall.
Current recommendations for people who are not at high risk (and people with CF are not at high risk unless they are over age 65 or are immunocompromised) is that if you had your booster after Sept 1 2022, you do not need another booster yet. We will get advice about the next booster in the fall of 2023.
Click here for the latest guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Influenza Vaccine
It always seems that flu season is just around the corner and there is lots of discussion as to who should get the vaccine and who shouldn’t. Those who have a pulmonary exacerbation are often asked to wait to receive their vaccine until they are over their acute exacerbation.
Otherwise, we generally recommend that all CF patients and their family members receive the influenza vaccine on a yearly basis. This is meant to protect not only yourself, but your loved ones as well.
Vaccines Prior To Lung Transplant
There are several vaccines that are required as individuals are being assessed for lung transplant. These may include Twinrix (hepatitis A/B vaccine), Pneumovax (pneumococcal vaccine), Varivax (varicella zoster vaccine), and Gardasil for women (HPV vaccine). Please reach out if you have any questions about any of these.